1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a copper alloy and to a copper alloy.
2. Description of the Related Art
One previously proposed copper alloy manufacturing method includes a sintering step of subjecting a binary Cu—Zr alloy powder having an average particle diameter of 30 μm or less and having a hypoeutectic composition containing Zr in an amount of from 5.00 at % to 8.00 at % to spark plasma sintering at a temperature of 0.9 Tm° C. or lower (Tm° C. is the melting point of the alloy powder) by supplying DC pulse current (see, for example, PTL 1). With this manufacturing method, a copper alloy having increased electrical conductivity and increased mechanical strength can be obtained.